Thursday, January 24, 2013

Iwas standing in line to use the restroom in a local department store. The store was really busy, because it was a holiday and a lot of people were off work that day. A few minutes later it was my turn, and I entered the stall.There was so much activity that the synchronized flushing of the toilets sounded as if they were being led by a conductor bringing the rhythm into harmony.Leaving the stall a lady brushed by me and said, "It's like a concert." Trying to be quick witted I sounded off, "Yeah, like Rembrandt" and walked over to the sinks.Now what I meant to say and what came out were two very different things; one would have been correct and obviously one was "off beat." Now I could have gone into a long speech with those standing in line that heard me, about how I hadn't slept in over 24 hours, but I didn't. Instead, I immediately began to laugh.While washing my hands I glanced into the mirror looking over my shoulder to see what the by-standers were doing. I expected a remark about my comment and perhaps correction, but no one said anything. Maybe they were in tune with the music industry and thought I was referring to the not so popular 90's group The Rembrandt. Somehow I doubted it.Grabbing hold of the restroom door my laughter started to increase. My husband was waiting outside the door (like a good hubby) and noticed my sudden burst of joy. I told him what I said and his comeback was, "You didn't!" With a chuckle ..."Oh, yes I did!" I replied and then we both started laughing. We laughed so hard we couldn't stop and laughed our way out the door all the way to the car.It wasn't just the fact that my faux pas was funny, but that no one knew the difference.How long has it been since you had a really good belly laugh at something you did or said? We cannot take ourselves so seriously that we fail to see human error in things or ignore when life just gets "stupid" funny.The Bible tells us that a merry heart (including laughter) is good for us and acts like medicine or an element for healing. So take a bit of your own medicine and go make someone laugh. It will do you both good.

Scripture References:

Proverbs
15:13 "A merryheart makes a cheerful countenance, but
by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken."(KJV) New Living Translationsays it like this: "A glad heart makes a happy face; a broken heart crushes the
spirit."

Proverbs
15:15 "All the days of the afflicted are evil, But he who is
of a merryhearthas a continual feast. (KJV) "For the despondent, every day brings
trouble; for the happy heart, life is a continual feast." (NLT)

Proverbs
17:22 "A merryheart does good, like medicine, but
a broken spirit dries the bones." (KJV) "A cheerful heart is good medicine,
but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength." (NLT)